Ash and Misty: Sub Zero
by Ambezua
Summary: Professor Oak has called Ash in for a favor... Set in the cold wastelands of the North. Will they succeed? Will Misty be able to express her feelings for Ash before it's too late? Please R&R!
1. Prologue: Professor Oak's Call

I do not own pokemon... If I did, the series would end with something very much like this!

Ambezua: Greetings! It's me again, Ambezua... I know what you're thinking, if you have been reading my FanFics up to this time. I have become a bit stuck on my other FanFic, so, I decided to start up another one for now. This is going to be a LONG story, so hang on for the ride! I will notify you which POV each chapter is in, at the beginning (although, most of it will, actually, be from Brock's POV). I will warn you though; this story will NOT be your typical AAML. Anyway, I won't waste any more of your time. On with the story! R&R (tell me how you like it...)!

Ash and Misty: SubZero

Prologue: Professor Oak's Call

(Ash's POV)

Here I was... Ash Ketchum... I had no idea what the next few days held in store for me: adventure, joy, love, danger... and a fate that I could not escape.

I sat by myself, Pikachu perched on my shoulder. Although a list of my Pokemon lay before me, my mind drifted off to other things. I thought about the Pokemon I had encountered, the battles I had fought, the rivals I had met... but most of all, the friends I had made.

All my life, I had dreamed of becoming a Pokemon master... It had been the one thing that drove me each day, the fire that fuelled my soul, and bound my heart to the task at hand. Some called me obsessed. Others said I was determined. The true word for it, however, was love. I loved Pokemon.

But now, having achieved my goal, I didn't feel...complete. I had a sore, sort of empty feeling deep inside me. It was as if there was a hole carved out of my very soul which even Pokemon couldn't fill. I just couldn't figure out what it was... Whatever it was, it was making my life miserable.

I sighed, and tried to focus on my current task: forming a team to defend my title. Yes, it's true. The next chance anyone would get to challenge me would be quite far in the future but at least it kept my mind active and not constantly considering my emptiness.

I tossed the paper aside, unable to concentrate.

Pikachu laid a paw in my shoulder, and looked over at me with a concerned look.

Pikachu: my one true friend from the very beginning. Yes, we got off to a rough start and we were nearly killed. But we have been friends for many years since and I hope many years afterward. I have been grateful for his companionship and his trust in me. If it weren't for him, I doubt I would achieve my dream at all. Yet, the hole in my heart was not Pikachu-shaped...

"Pika?" Pikachu waved his paw in front of my face.

Yes, I remembered that day very well—the day I set off on my pokemon journey, which had just recently come to a close. That day, I met someone else I would never forget: Misty.

She was a bit of a pain in the neck at the start, constantly bickering with me and rubbing her broken bike in my face. But eventually, she began to grow on me. Although I rarely admitted it, she had become my closest human friend—right behind Pikachu in terms of closeness. Indeed, we still had our fights which usually ended with either Misty slamming me with her mallet or Pikachu using Thunderbolt on the both of us. But neither of us really took our fights personally. She used to cheer me on when I battled and encouraged me when I felt down. Her life and energy added something new to my life—something I had never experienced before. For the longest time, I couldn't think of what it could be. As I thought about her and the time we had spent together, a warm sort of feeling welled up inside of me.

"Oh, cut it out." I told myself, "It's going to be years before Misty shows up again...even if I AM the Pokemon Master."

"Pikapi?" Pikachu seemed a bit relieved that I had spoken.

"Well, seeing Brock again would be nice, right Pikachu?" I rubbed my little Pokemon's head affectionately. He nodded in agreement.

Brock: he had been like an older brother to me. He watched over me by teaching me about Pokemon, cheering me on when I battled, giving me bits of wisdom, and even cooking and cleaning for me. More importantly, he was a great friend. I could always trust him to be there for me, and to keep his promises. I could also say that I could trust him to fall for every single pretty girl he came across, but I would rather not go into that. He stayed by my side for the longest and stood by my side when I battled for my title as the Pokemon Master. I owe Brock a lot; perhaps more than I can ever repay. He was selfless and kind—the sort of older brother that everyone wished they had.

"Hey, are you Ash Ketchum?" A female voice called out.

"The one and only..." I moaned at her who may be just another fan.

"Pika! Pikapi!" Pikachu tugged my shirt but I ignored him.

"So... what would you like: an autograph or a picture?" I asked, without turning to look at her.

"Hmm...How about a mallet...?" She replied.

"Say what?" I turned around and faced her.

"Hey Ash...!" Misty smiled. "Don't tell me that you have forgotten all about me already! Or has being the Master really gotten to your head?"

"Pikachu..." Pikachu sighed.

"Misty!" I stood up and hugged her, "I 'mist' you sooooooo much!"

"Uh, yeah...me too..." Misty replied, a bit surprised and not catching my joke.

She returned the hug, gently wrapping her arms around me as well.

I thought I was going to melt, I felt so warm in her arms.

"Ahem..." Brock coughed.

I jumped back from Misty, blushing a bit. He always seemed to show up at the least expected time.

"Welcome back, Misty." Brock smiled, "Did you remember to get an appointment with the Master before barging in here?"

"I don't need an appointment." Misty grinned. "The guards let me right in when I told them that I was Ash's best friend. Okay so I let my mallet do some of the talking. "

"I should have known that they wouldn't be Misty-proof." Brock laughed.

"Hey, you guys wanna come with me down to the Pokemon Center? It's not very far from here; and I think I can manage to slip out without drawing a huge crowd." I asked.

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu quipped.

"Sure." Brock replied.

"Why would I pass up a chance to whack a few mindless, flirtatious fans?" Misty replied.

Although I found Misty's comment a bit unusual, I simply shrugged. "Come on, then."

At the Pokemon Center...

"Good morning, Nurse Joy." I walked up to the counter.

"Good morning, Pokemon Master." Nurse Joy smiled back. "Would you like to pick up some of your Pokemon?"

"Yes, but—" I began, but a loud ringing cut me off.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Excuse me for a minute." Nurse Joy picked up the phone at her desk. "It's for you, Ash."

"Do you have something for me?" Brock asked, sliding between Nurse Joy and me. "You have already taken my heart!"

Nurse Joy blinked, not quite sure how to respond to Brock's approaches.

Croagunk popped out of his Pokeball and poison-jabbed Brock.

"Perhaps..." Brock groaned. "Another time, eh...?"

"I guess someone else took my job during my absence." Misty giggled. "It looks like I'll have to find someone else to hit."

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head to the side.

"Who is it?" I asked Nurse Joy, unsure as to who would call me at such an odd hour.

"It's Professor Oak." Nurse Joy replied, having recovered from her momentary shock. "Here, let me put him on the videophone for you."

I walked over to one of the booths and sat down.

Professor Oak's form appeared on the screen but something didn't quite seem right.

First, he wasn't standing in front of his lab as he almost always was. The scene behind him was completely white.

Secondly, he was wearing a parka, or a very thick coat which appeared to be at LEAST two sizes too large for him.

"Hello, Ash!" Professor Oak said in his usual, cheery voice. "Congratulations on becoming the new Pokemon Master! Your mother must be very proud of you."

"Thanks, Professor Oak, but-"

"In case you are wondering why I am calling at this time, it's because I need your help."

"Sure, Professor; what is it?" I had been itching for adventure for some time and I jumped at the opportunity. Little did I know whatever I would get my friends and myself into.

"Well, I have received reports that a small herd of Mamoswine still live here in the wild. However, I have not been able to find any trace of them. I was hoping that you wouldn't mind helping me search for them. After all, your experience with Pokemon would be most helpful in the search."

"Of course..." I replied, "I will be right over just as soon as I pick out my Pokemon team."

"Now, wait a second. You can't just walk all the way here on two feet. I will send a helicopter to pick you up tomorrow. Be sure to pack up everything you will need." Professor Oak said sternly.

"Count me in too." Brock stepped over to my side.

"Ash, if you think you can run off again without me you are fooling yourself." Misty lightly shoved me in my side.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu held up his paw forming a "V" with his fingers.

"It sounds like your friends are coming along with you." Professor Oak smiled

"I guess so..." I replied.

"Great! I will be seeing you soon Ash. Take care!" Afterwards, Professor Oak's image vanished from the screen.

--

Ambezua: Not a bad way to start off, eh? Well, things only get better from here... I will give you two guesses: From whose POV will the next chapter be? Not sure? Well... Tell me what you think about the story so far, and I will submit the next chapter.

--

Summary of chapter: Ash, Brock, and Misty crossed paths again. Professor Oak, however, cuts the reunion short. He explains that he had been currently searching for a heard of Mamoswine, but had so far managed to find nothing. He asked Ash for a favor: to come with him on his search. Ash agrees, and Brock and Misty insist they come along too.


	2. Chapter 1: Preparations

Chapter 1: Preparations  
(Misty's POV)  
Here I am...Misty...whose last name will be lost to time. I had no idea what the next few days held in store for me: pain, worries, love, loss, or a fate I could not evade.  
As I looked over at my two friends, who were busily packing large duffle bags full of supplies, I couldn't help but become lost deep in thought.  
Brock...true, he had been a bit of a pain at times chasing after every single girl he ever met (with precious few exceptions). He used to drive me nuts when he even implied that I was in love with Ash. The truth is, however, that I have a very strong connection with Brock. Not in a romantic way, mind you. He was the father, mother, and older brother I never had. He would cook, clean, encourage, support, and guide for us. The correct question to ask about Brock would be: What could he NOT do? Get a girlfriend? Perhaps Brock's curse could be better understood as nature's way of compensating for his special talents.  
Brock's personal curse, however, was overshadowed by my own. In my case, the curse happened to take the form of a boy. More commonly known as Ash Ketchum: bike destroyer, lover of all things Pokemon, Team Rocket basher, prophecy fulfiller, heart stealer...the list goes on and on.  
It's true. From the moment I met him, I knew he was something special. Perhaps it was the way he looked at me or the way he cared so much about Pokemon. Whatever it was, it lit my heart on fire.

I could never bring myself to tell him although I did let a few subtle hints slip. Knowing Ash, however, he probably wouldn't have caught on had I dropped to one knee and begged him to notice me. He only thought of me as a friend. Perhaps not even that: I let my temper get the best of me on numerous occasions, perhaps alienating any possible affection he had for me. I was my own worst enemy.

Over the time that we were apart, my love for him simply grew stronger. The more it grew, the more it hurt to be away from him. Ironically, being around him meant less pain for me but more for him (in the form of my mallet).

As I stood before him being around Ash again made me feel all fuzzy inside. The pleasant and loving Misty, which I thought no longer existed, began to make an encore performance on the theater of life. If only he would notice me.

"Hey Misty, you feel okay?" Brock turned to face me.

"Of course I'm okay!" I replied. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Sometimes you worry me." Brock shook his head and then turned his attention back to his work.

Well, at least Brock has some concern about me. Ash, as usual, remained oblivious. Sometimes I wondered if I wasn't always being so obnoxious to him all the time that he might actually forget that I existed.

I looked down at my own half-packed bags.

Brock had gathered together various supplies that he declared necessary for our adventure. He handed over to us a number of bags and told us to pack away as much of the stuff as we could and had given each of us a list of required supplies. He could be such a pain sometimes. Does he think we're still kids? Well, perhaps some of the fights I would get into were a LITTLE childish...but I only fought with him to get his attention anyway.  
With a sigh, I went back through my list. I let my mind wander again.

"You know what's strange?" Brock spoke up while stuffing another sack of Pokemon food into one of his bags. "We never seem to see each other much...and when we do, Ash manages to drag us off on some sort of adventure."

"Hey! I didn't ask you guys to come with me!" Ash said defensively. "I can go by myself."

"Right..." I poked Ash in the side. "But who would make sure you wouldn't do anything harebrained?"

"What do you mean by that, Misty?" Ash snapped.

"Oh...I don't know. You were always getting us in some sort of trouble back when we used to travel together. I just assume that you haven't changed much." I replied.

"I don't always get us lost! Sometimes you and Brock did it too." Ask countered.

"Whatever..." I shrugged

"Why you little..." Ash's eyes narrowed.

"Cut it out already, you two!" Brock moaned. "Can't you guys even be in the same room without getting on each other's nerves?"

Ash mumbled something unintelligible.

"What did you say, Mr. Pokemon Master?" I poked my face next to his.

"I said...WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO HORRIBLE TO ME?" Ash yelled right in my face.

I recoiled, a bit surprised at his reaction.

"Hey, Ash...I never thought you really took me all that seriously." I said calmly.

"Well, I do." Ash crossed his arms and turned away.

"Ash, I'm-" I was about to apologize...right there and then...and perhaps say a lot more when suddenly Brock spoke up.

"Wow Misty, you are actually going to say it?" Brock grinned. "I was wondering when you were finally going to profess your love for him."

"WHAT?" I screamed, my face bright red with embarrassment and anger.

Ash turned back towards me, a confused look on his face.

Thinking quickly, I slammed Brock with my mallet.

"Aw, come on, Misty. After all these years, you still have that accursed thing?" Brock held his head in his hands.

I rolled my eyes and went back to packing.

I heard a phone ring.

"I'll get it." Brock moaned as he went to fetch the phone. "Hello?"

"Oh...it's for you, Ash." Brock handed it to Ash.

I think Ash had a pretty good idea of who was on the other end.

"Hi, Mom..." Ash took the phone gratefully.

Ash's mom has quite a character. I like her a lot, and I think Ash does too even if he does find her affection quite embarrassing. Ash looks cute when he's embarrassed.

Ash handed the phone over to Brock.

"Thanks, Brock." Ash smiled and went back to packing.

Just as Brock was about to place the phone back on the wall, it rang again.

"Hello?" Brock answered again then held it out to me. "Misty...it's for you."

"Hello?" I called into the receiver.

"Hey Misty…!" I heard a familiar voice call out from the other end. "It's, like your big sisters, giving you a call."

"Wait...let me guess. You don't want me to go because the gym duties would fall back on you." I said in an annoyed tone.

"Oh no, not at all...Like, whatever gave you that idea?" The voice on the other side replied.

"I don't know...something about a trip around the world?" I snapped

"Sorry about that..." The voice sounded genuine. "All we want to say is that we hope you have a safe trip and that you finally break down and tell Ash about your feelings for him."

"WHAT?" I yelled into the phone.

"Don't worry Sis; your secret is safe with us. Have a nice trip!" Then the phone went dead.

Why does EVERYONE know about my secret except for Ash?

"I have to tell him." I thought to myself. "Even if it is the last thing I do..."

Ambezua: Ok! Things are getting interesting, wouldn't you agree? Obviously, this chapter was from Misty's POV, and the next one will (predictably) be from Brock's POV... This chapter introduces quite a few more questions: How did Ash's mom, and Misty's sisters for that matter, know about Ash's trip? Why didn't Brock get a phone call? Why does Brock annoy Misty so much? (sorry, I had to throw that one in there...)

Misty: He annoys me because he is always teasing me! Give a girl a break once and a while will ya!

Brock: Come on, Misty... You knew that I was right!

Misty: Who cares?

Ash: I do! I wanted to hear you profess your sweet love to me...

(_misty whacks ash with her mallet)_

Ash: _(groan)_

Misty: As you were saying, Ambezua?

Ambezua: Thank you... Please R&R, and I will be seeing you all next chapter!

Summary: Ash, Misty, and Brock prepare their Pokemon teams, their gear, and make some calls to their families. Ash continues his oblivious trend...


	3. Chapter 2: The Land of Ice

Chapter 2: The Land of Ice

(Brock's POV)

Here I am: Brock...whose legacy of romantic failures will long outlive my name. I had no idea what the next few days held in store for me: adventure, danger, total lack of romance...but most of all: tragedy that I doubt I would ever be able to forget.

This was when it started...this was where it could have ended as well had I known the future. I could have stopped it...but I didn't.

As we stood there on the helipad, I took one last look back at the city. We would be leaving civilization. I knew that we wouldn't return here for quite some time, yet there

was something unique about this particular journey. I could almost feel it in the air.

"You know, Ash...this doesn't feel right." I nudged my friend's side.

"Are your jeans too tight?" Ash responded in his typical, childish way.

"Well, at least he remembered to wear jeans." Misty snapped.

"Don't bring that up again, Misty! When you knocked, I told you NOT to come in! It wasn't my fault!" Ash yelled.

I could see where this discussion was going so I decided to speak up before things get out of hand.

"No, that's not it. I just have a feeling that as soon as we step onto that helicopter, nothing will be the same again."

"Oh come on, stop stalling." Misty ran up to the helicopter. "We need to get going if we are going to make it to Professor Oak before nightfall."

"Right..." I sighed and walked up beside Misty, placing my bags into the helicopter.

"I think you're just nervous about the flight." Ash smiled and tossed his bags in as well. "You will get over it soon enough."

I nodded but I was still not convinced.

Ash climbed up into the passenger compartment, reached out his hand, and helped Misty in.

"You coming, Brock…?" Ash called.

I looked up at Ash and noted the usual determined look on his face.

Without a word, I jumped in as well and closed the door after me.

The engines, which had already been warmed up, began to hum deeper and we slowly lifted up off the ground.

I turned my face toward the window, watching the ground slowly shrink from under us...

Ash and Misty: my two closest friends in the entire world. Although they had both grown up so much, I still thought of them as my younger siblings. They were a part of my family—a part of myself. As I looked at them, sitting together on the bench opposite mine, I smiled slightly.

From the very first day I saw them fight with each other, I knew that they held a connection to each other. Some would call it hate; some might call it rivalry; while others might even venture to call it love. However I viewed it as a strange form of attachment which, although currently unexplored, could easily mature into love.

As I noticed the way Misty slightly leaned into Ash, and occasionally poked him to draw his attention to some trivial thing she saw out the window, I felt confident that for Misty at least, the attachment had already matured.

Ash, however, was a different story.

If a girl latched onto his arm and poured affection all over him, he would only notice when the circulation in his arm had been cut off. Perhaps a bit of an overstatement but seriously...Ash just couldn't take a hint!

There was Misty, actually behaving in a civil manner while subtly flirting with him and Ash didn't notice a thing! It's like I want to grab the guy and shout into his ear: "Wake up man! I have been trying to get a girl for a long time and here you are throwing away your chance to be happy!"

In case you were wondering; no, I didn't actually do it.

I turned my attention back to the numerous amazing sights outside the window. Stately mountains with their snow-covered peaks and jagged outcroppings sprang from the ground beneath us. Coniferous and deciduous giants grew from their sides and reached up into the thin air around them. Their stately shapes added color and life to an otherwise barren landscape.

As the mountains passed, rolling grasslands took their place. A sea of green, complete with waves, folded out before us. Its uniform lushness only broken by an occasional tree or large shrub amazed me. The helicopter flew lower over the fields to avoid the turbulence of the higher winds. Several Pokemon came into view, scurrying away from our sudden intrusion upon their accustomed habitat.

The most awe-inspiring sights we would see, however, yet remained beyond the horizon.  
We flew past the grasslands and into the coastline. Sandy beaches lined the shores as far as the eye could see. The sun, which was beginning to fall toward the horizon cast its rays upon the silvery surface of the water, causing it to gleam and glisten. Children played along the shores and waved to us as we flew by. Gorgeous women lined the beaches. Some sunbathed on the sand while others enjoyed the shade of umbrellas that dotted the landscape.

"Nice view, eh Brock?" Ash teased.

I didn't respond. Rather, I pressed my face up against the glass...not wanting to leave the beautiful scene behind. Yet, I could always come back later, right?

As we left the beach behind us, the sea itself captivated my attention. It stretched far and wide from horizon to horizon—nothing but water. Although at first glance it appeared quite featureless, such was not the case. The air of the sea teemed with bird Pokemon and the waters were filled with water Pokemon of all shapes and sizes. A Wailord surfaced to our right, spurting out a jet of water into the air. I could faintly hear Ash and Misty utter cries of joy and awe as the playful Pokemon frolicked in its enormous home.

I looked to the North...and to my surprise I saw that our journey was close to its end. Icy peaks sprang up from the sea. The icy blast from the wind chilled the glass of the helicopter, making it uncomfortable to the touch.

I pulled back from the glass, and watched as a small camp came into view. It consisted mostly of small orange tents and temporary buildings. We flew over to the helipad and began our decent.

The helicopter shook a bit as we neared the ground most likely a result of the air currents that swept around us.  
Some of the men on the ground rushed up to the helicopter, and pulled the doors open. They quickly unloaded our bags and helped us out. The cold, arctic air bit my cheeks as we stepped out. The men carried our bags towards one of the larger buildings so I followed them.

"Come on, guys, I think we should go this way." I called to Ash and Misty.

They both looked VERY cold...but I HAD warned them to wear enough clothing. I shook my head and walked up to the building with Ash and Misty close behind me.  
As we stepped up to the building, Professor Oak greeted us warmly.

"There you are! I was hoping that you would make it here before nightfall," He smiled and brought us inside.

We all sat down on the floor as Professor Oak handed us thick blankets and a mug of hot chocolate.

"Now I know you are all tired from your long journey, but we plan on leaving for the expedition early in the morning. I have a few things to discuss with you before we leave so now is the best time for this." Professor Oak began. "First of all no one, under ANY circumstances, is to go out alone. It's too likely that you'll get yourself lost or into some other trouble. For this reason, you three will stick together at all times. Understood?"

I nodded then looked over at Ash and Misty, embarrassed. I thought of a cruel way to torture the two ignorant lovers.

"What's wrong, Misty? Did you want to be paired up with Ash?" I teased her.

"WHAT?" Misty's face turned bright red.

"Did you have to go and do that, Brock?" Ash groaned.

I just grinned.

"Shut your mouth, Brock!" Misty fumed and slammed me with her mallet.

"Secondly," the Professor continued, ignoring our little quarrel. "While we are out exploring, keep your radio on just in case something happens. That way, we can locate you if you need help. Last, but the most important thing is do NOT provoke the Pokemon in this habitat. They have been known to be quite aggressive during this part of the year and will attack if provoked."

We all nodded in agreement.

--

Ambezua: Well, how was that? I greatly enjoy Brock's POV... It's a way for me to vent my wrath on both Ash (for his denseness) and Misty (for her refusal to profess to Ash). also, it gives me a good excuse to make quite detailed descriptions.

Brock: It's good to know that someone actually notices my true potential!

Misty: Protential for what? Becoming the world's most effective stocker?

Brock: I don't stock!

Misty: What do you call pursuing a woman after they have already told you "no"?

Brock: I call it being captivated by love...

Misty: Oh please...

Ash: I'm glad I didn't get the wrong end of Misty's mallet this time!

Misty: I will deal with YOU later...

Ash: (gulp)

Ambezua: ANYWAY, Please be sure to R&R... And go easy on Ash, please, I need him for the next chapter...

--

Summary: Ash, Misty, and Brock board the helicopter, and are on their way. They see some amazing sights along the way. Then, they finally arrive at the polar base. Professor Oak warmly welcomes them and invites them into his personal tent. They all fit inside, rather comfortably. He then tells them the safety precautions: no one, under any circumstances, is to go out by him or herself. They are to keep in contact with each other during the expedition via radio. Most of all, they are NOT to provoke the wild Pokemon of the polar habitat which may attack them viciously in retaliation.


	4. Chapter 3: The First Sign of Danger

Chapter 3: First Sign of Danger

(Ash's POV)

_"Hey... Ash... Can you hear me?" I heard a voice calling out to me._

_I opened my eyes and my sight was blurry...I could only make out a blue sky...and a figure leaning over me._

_"Ash?" the voice called out again. It seemed vaguely familiar._

_"Huh?" my voice was weak and shaky. _

_"Ash, please don't leave me. This isn't how it's supposed to be." I was now fully convinced that I had heard this voice before. Only it seemed different..._

_I felt something wet fall onto my cheek and run down my face._

_"ASH!" I felt someone shaking me as everything went black..._

--

"Ash, wake up!" Misty pulled my pillow out from under my head and began beating me over the head with it ruthlessly.

"Okay, okay, enough!" I held up my hands to defend myself but it was no use. Nothing could protect me from Misty.

"Your hopeless, Ash Ketchum..." Misty slammed the pillow into my face then turned to walk away.

Then it hit me...Misty...she was the voice I heard in my dream. But it didn't make any sense. Why did she sound so sad and desperate? She hardly even sounded like Misty. Perhaps Brock could help clear this up. Nah, Brock would just tease me, asking how often I dreamed about Misty. Besides, I wasn't even completely sure it WAS Misty that I had heard.

I pulled myself up from bed and looked over to where Pikachu had fallen asleep the day before. It was empty.

"Hey, look who's awake." Brock poked his head in. "you got up late today. Even Pikachu woke up before you did."

Thanks Brock, you just HAD to rub it in.

"Ash is late for almost everything but meals and Pokemon matches." Misty's voice called out from the other room. "It makes me wonder how his mother can even live with him."

Great, Misty had to chime in too. I felt like I had endured enough of her abuse.

"Well, at least I'm not some scrawny brat who just follows me around for a stupid bike." I replied.

Brock looked at me as if I had a bunch of Krabby crawling out of my ears.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Misty burst through the door, carrying a tray of food.

Brock looked at the infuriated Misty then back to me.

"Pikapi..." Pikachu sighed and shook his head.

"ASH KETCHUM!" Misty hurled the tray at me and pulled out her mallet. "You ungrateful idiot...!"

The irony of the whole situation began to sink in. Misty was hurling food at me—food she had intended to give to me. Wait a sec...

"HOLD IT!" I protested but it was too little, too late.

Misty began to relentlessly pound me with her mallet.

I felt the blows falling onto me swiftly and aggressively. I closed my eyes and tried my best to protect the softer locations of my body.

Then the pounding stopped. I opened my eyes and saw Brock forcibly holding Misty back. Her face was red with anger but her eyes were streaming with tears running down along both of her cheeks. She huffed and starred at me, her eyes barely open. She didn't speak a word but her expression said it all. I had hurt her deeply.

"Misty, I'm..." I paused.

Misty tried to pull out of Brock's grasp but he held her tightly.

"Misty, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't really mean it." I said honestly.

Misty didn't say a word. She just looked back at Brock, who released his grip on her. Misty dropped her mallet on the floor and looked down at her feet.

"Ash... I-" Misty turned and ran out of the room, crying bitterly.

Brock looked at me, sending me death rays right through his closed eyelids. Shaking his head, he let himself out of the room as well and closed the door behind him.

I sighed, picked the food up off the ground, and began eating the remnants which were still somewhat edible.

"Misty made this...for me?" I asked myself in particular.

Needless to say, I was completely and utterly confused by the events that had just occurred before me.

"Pikapi...pikachu pi pi chu pika." Pikachu, who remained in the room, walked over to my side.

"I'm sorry, Pikachu." I stroked his head while enjoying what was left of my breakfast.

Professor Oak opened the door, and tossed in a Parka.

"You will need this, Ash. Hurry up and get ready. We need to get going." He said briefly and closed the door.

--

I stepped out into the sea of white for that was what would best describe it. I saw nothing but white—white in front of me, behind me, above me, and below me. To my left was Brock, who still had not said a word to me since our little "incident." To my right walked Professor Oak, who likewise had a stern and determined look on his face. Behind me, and slightly to the right, walked Misty. Like me, she wore a large parka that covered most of her body. Her face looked sad…almost distant.

I sighed and glanced at Pikachu who stood on my shoulder as he often would. The cold temperatures of this sea of white required Pikachu to wear some sort of protection. He had a thick scarf wrapped around him, covering him entirely; save his face, legs, and tail.

The five of us walked over to the rest of the group. They were mostly men, well-built and strong. The only woman I could see looked vaguely familiar. I simply shrugged, ignoring her for now. They had a hardened look to them as if nothing in the world could scare them. Brock, on the other hand...

"Not HER!" Brock jumped behind me and shielded himself from the sight of the woman.

"What's wrong, Brock?" I grinned. "I thought you like women."

"Not... that one." Brock whispered.

Then, it came to me. The woman standing before us was none other than Professor Ivy. Now that I thought about it, Brock had never actually clarified what had happened between them.

Professor Oak, however, seemed oblivious to Brock's odd behavior.

"I assume the three of you have met Professor Ivy before." He said, breaking a smile for the first time that day.

"Yeah…" I spoke up. "We sure have."

"It's a pleasure to see you all again." Professor Ivy nodded. Even I could tell that she was avoiding speaking to Brock directly.

"Why did you decide to come along?" I asked, a bit curious.

"Oh, well, I find this habitat particularly fascinating. Wouldn't you agree?" She smiled and turned to pick up some gear. Apparently, she asked a rhetorical question...or something like that.

I partially expected Misty to speak up and make a stab at me, saying something along the lines of: "Of course he finds it interesting. He would find a twig interesting if you told him it had something to do with Pokemon."

Instead, Misty said nothing at all. She was acting very strangely that day.

--

We soon began our journey, in very much the same fashion as before. Professor Oak took the lead and tried to help pass the time with one of his lectures. This time the lecture just HAPPENED to be about Mamoswine. I listened more out of boredom than anything else.

"...and that's what we call a semiannual _migration_...you know what that means, right?" Professor Oak said at one point.

I sighed and looked back at Misty. Well, at least she was actually looking around. Her eyes widened and she looked away, avoiding making eye-contact with me. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked back toward the ground. I have never seen her act this way before.

Professor Oak elbowed me gently.

"Ash, are you listening?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

"Uh, yeah…" I replied, unsure of how much of the lecture I missed.

"I suspect he's just enjoying the scenery." Brock said sourly, referring to the blandness of the scene that surrounded us.

All seemed quiet. The bitter wind that whipped up was the only exception. In fact, I realized just then that the Professor had abruptly stopped his lecture. Everyone had stopped walking and we were staring in the same direction.

"Huh?" I asked; looking in the same direction as everyone else.

I couldn't see a thing.

But...I could hear something. It sounded like...snoring.

"Walrein…" Professor Oak whispered. "A whole pod of Walrein is just over that hill."

It sure didn't look like much of a hill but something must have been hiding them from view since all I could see was white.

"What's the big deal?" I asked, perhaps a bit too loudly. "It's not like they are going to wake up and attack us."

I felt daggers glaring at me from everyone's eyes.

I shrunk back.

"Wal…?" I heard from over the small hill. "Walrein…! Rein…!"

"Great…" Misty groaned and pulled out a Pokeball.

Brock, however, beat her to the punch. Just as the first Walrein appeared over the lump, Brock had already thrown his first Pokeball.

"Steelix, use Iron Tail!" Brock ordered.

Steelix slammed the Walrein right back over the hill...but more came…much more...

"RUN!" Professor Oak yelled.

"Gyarados…!" Misty released her giant water Pokemon. "Go help Steelix."

I turned and saw a heard of Piloswine rush up behind us, blocking our escape.

"What's going on here?" Brock shouted.

"It seems the Piloswine are coming to the Walrein's aid." Professor Ivy mused while Steelix and Gyarados continued to smack Walrein back over the hill as they came up.

I looked over at Pikachu and nodded.

"Pikachu, Use Thunder on those Walrein!" I ordered.

"Ash, that might not be-" Professor Oak began but never finished his sentence as Pikachu unleashed a mighty electric attack at the pod of Walrein. It shocked many of them, particularly the bolder members who rushed up to take the brunt of the attack.

With a roar, they turned and began a full retreat.

"Good job, Pikachu." I smiled at my friend.

Our celebration, however, was short-lived.

The Piloswine were still heading right for us!

Professor Oak stood between us and the Piloswine. He bravely reached under his parka and drew out a Pokeball.

"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!" Professor Oak ordered.

His Dragonite, a formidable Pokemon, looked slightly intimidated by the herd of charging Piloswine. It charged up for a Hyper Beam and unleashed it with full force. The attack ripped across the herd, scattering them like Mareep. One particularly strong Piloswine, however, managed to make it through. It charged right for Professor Oak, ignoring Dragonite entirely.

"Watch out!" Brock yelled but it was too late.

The Piloswine slammed into Professor Oak, sending him tumbling back towards us.

I knew something had to be done before it killed him.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt…!" I ordered.

"Pikachuuuuu!" Pikachu knocked it out cold, landing on the ice with a loud thump.

"Are you alright, Oak?" Professor Ivy rushed over to his side.

"...yes." He groaned. "But I think it would be best if I return to base and make sure I didn't take any serious damage."

Brock nodded. "You take Professor Oak back. I will continue the search."

Professor Oak noted Brock's determined face and nodded.

"Very well, but remember everything I have told you... and be on the lookout. Those wooly Pokemon will be back."

Professor Ivy helped Professor Oak stand up and walk back in the direction we came. A few of the men went with them while the rest simply turned and continued walking. With one last glance back at Professor Oak's disappearing form, I couldn't help but remember the strange dream I had the night before...

--

Ambezua: Yeah, Professor Oak has a way of skipping out on most (if not all) of the adventure. I thought it would be appropriate to continue the trend.

Misty: Speaking of trends, why on Earth would Ash have such a ridiculous dream? He doesn't think I care about him.

Ash: I think you have a pretty good idea.

Misty (_acting nervous_): What? What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about!

Ash: So, you DO dream about me!

Misty: (_mallet slam_) In your dreams, Ketchum!

Ambezua: Anyway, this chapter introduces some new plot details: Misty and Ash are each changing in their approach to each other. Brock is trying his best to work things out for them, but will it be enough?

Ash: The drama is getting to me. Please hurry up and get on with it!

Brock: Ash, are you sure you are using that word correctly?

Ash: Who asked you, Squinty?

--

Summary: Ash has a strange dream. He also manages to alienate Misty over a misunderstanding. Professor Oak leads them at the beginning of the expedition. After a time, however, they are attacked by a group of ice-type Pokemon. Ash, Misty, and Brock's Pokemon manage to fight them off, but Professor Oak was wounded. He and a handful of escorts decide to go back while Ash, Misty, Brock, and the rest of the men to continue the search without him.


	5. Chapter 4: Don't Break the Ice

Chaper 4: Don't Break the Ice...

(Brock's POV)

_"Yeah, that's right." I said in answer to Delia inquiries. "I'm sure that they are in love with each other."_

_"Finally, I have a good chance at having grandchildren." Delia squealed with delight. "Just five short years..."_

_"Yeah...well, I better tell Misty's sisters the good news as well." I replied; a bit embarrassed._

_"Okay, you do that." Delia said in a cheery voice and hung up the phone._

--

_"No! You're like kidding me!" Daisy was completely exasperated at the news._

_"Young love!" Violet exclaimed. "Isn't it cute?"_

_"Have they like kissed yet?" Lily asked hopefully._

_"No. They haven't even professed to each other yet." I replied nervously._

_"Like, how romantic..." Daisy became lost in her thoughts._

_"Don't worry about that." Violet grinned. "We know how to get Misty to make a move."_

_I quickly thought of a way to wrap up the conversation._

_"Okay, thanks." I said briefly and hung up._

--

We seemed to have been walking endlessly and Ash began to complain.

"Are we there yet?" Ash asked in his immature tone.

"We will get there when we get there." I shot back.

"When might that be?" Ash grumbled. "A few million years from now…?"

Misty looked up, obviously wanting to make a comment but something caught her eye.

"Hey, Brock…" She pointed. "What's that?"

I turned my head to look in the indicated direction. It appeared that there were several large rocks poking up from the barren wasteland of white.

"Hey, Professor…" I radioed Professor Oak briefly. "We see some rocks in the distance. Does that mean we are close?"

"Why yes." Professor Oak's voice called out from the other side. "According to my sources, you should be very close to where the herd of Mamoswine was last seen."

"Great! Thanks, Professor." I switched the radio to receive-only to conserve battery power.

"YES!" Ash jumped up happily. "Now we get to see some real action!"

"Don't you think we have seen enough action already?" Misty snapped.

Ash looked a bit relieved that Misty had decided to talk to him again but he also looked a bit annoyed at what she had to say.

Ash wisely decided to change the subject.

"Hey, Brock…" Ash turned to me. "I hope we get to see Articuno."

I couldn't think of a worse thing to wish for under the conditions we found ourselves in.

"Ash, haven't you heard the old tales about Articuno?" I asked sternly as we began to make our way towards the rocks in the distance.

"No." Ash replied stupidly.

"Ash…" I sighed. "Articuno is said to have appeared to doomed travelers who became lost from their group. Of course, no one has been able to confirm these tales."

"Don't be ridiculous, Brock." Ash brushed away the warning. "Those are just stories."

We walked a bit further in silence as we approached the first pile of rocks. As we came closer, I realized that the word "rock" did not do justice to the gargantuan spires of ice that stood before us. Each ice rock stood nearly eighty feet high and was at least two hundred feet wide. Snow had piled up on their jagged surfaces; increasing their size significantly and making them appear quite mountain-like.

As we approached the first of the icy mountains, I heard a familiar group of voices.

"To protect the world from climate change..." Jessie poked her head up out from behind the rocks.

"To bring global warming to a proper range..." James poked his head out beside hers.

"To chill your bones down to your feet..." Jessie pulled herself up onto the rock, struggling to keep her balance.

"Which we hope to do each time we meet..." James remained where he was, fully aware of how foolish Jessie made herself look.

"Jes-s-sie" the red-haired villain shivered.

"Ja-mes" Jessie's partner-in-crime looked quite chilled as well.

"Meowth...ya know my name..." Meowth grumbled, grasping his tail in his arms as he walked up beside his two friends.

Jessie and James glared at Meowth.

"What? I'm freezing my tail off here!" Meowth snapped.

"Team Rocket, freezing our tails off at the speed of light..." Jessie seemed to have incorporated Meowth's line into the motto.

"Surrender now or we may not be in the proper shape to fight..." James almost pleaded

"Wo-b-b-ba...f-f-ett..." the blue, blobby Pokemon popped out to add his tidbits.

"Team Rocket…!" Ash called out to them. "What are you after this time?"

"Oh, you know...any rare ice Pokemon you may have scooped up." Jessie grinned, making a weak attempt at concealing her pitiful state.

"Yeah, so hand them over…please?" James said in a pathetic voice.

"What has gotten into you, James?" Jessie screamed at him.

"What has gotten into you, Jess?" Meowth spoke up. "Bringing us out here to freeze to death?"

"Enough of this!" Jessie growled and pulled out a Pokeball. "Seviper, go!"

Seviper, however, was hibernating when he came out. It lay on the snow like a limp rag. Jessie looked on stupidly.

"What's wrong with him!?" she wailed.

"Pikachu, would you do the honors?" Ash rolled his eyes.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu smiled, and leapt from my shoulder.

"Hold it, twerp!" Jessie yelled. "You can't just get rid of us so fast!"

"Yeah, we booked an overnight stay." James smiled weakly.

"That's not what I meant!" Jessie clubbed James on the head with her fist.

Before Pikachu could attack, however, we heard a vaguely familiar sound...

"What's that noise?" Meowth's ears perked up.

"Uh oh..." Ash looked over to the right.

The Piloswine herd had returned and they looked more infuriated than ever. Their hooves were stamping against the ground, kicking up snow so thick it was almost a haze. They snorted and huffed, puffing out clouds of ice crystals as they ran. As they drew closer, they lowered their tusks, ready for combat.

"There is NO way that a bunch of pigs are going to stop us from stealing their Pokemon!" Jessie shouted, getting the Piloswine's attention.

"Uh... Jessie..." James said nervously, beginning to turn and run.

"Yeah, see ya later, Jess!" Meowth ran after James.

"AHHH!" all four of them began running with the Piloswine close behind.

"Wabba-" Wabbafett was the first one to go. He was hurled in the air as one of the Piloswine used Headbutt on him.

Jessie, James, and Meowth soon followed.

"It's a good thing our insurance includes acts of God." Meowth muttered as he flew through the sky.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jessie demanded but never got an answer.

"We're blasting off again!" They cried and vanished over the horizon.

The Piloswine then turned their attention back to us.

Thinking quickly, I pulled out my Forretress and ran towards the herd of Piloswine...a decision I will forever regret.

"Forretress, Explosion…!" I ordered.

My Forretress jumped into the middle of the herd and exploded, sending shockwaves across the ice. The Piloswine flew in all directions, completely senseless.

"Great job, Brock…" Ash smiled but his smile soon faded.

"B-Brock?" Misty stuttered, pointing toward a large crack forming in the ice rock beside us.

"Watch out!" I yelled but it was too late. A large fragment of the rock broke off and began to tumble down the side, bringing a large amount of snow and ice with it.

The ice shard slammed into the ground, shattering and knocking Ash and Misty off their feet. The ice below us began to crack as well. The men with us began to run in all directions, leaving me all alone as the landscape began to change right before me. As jagged pieces of ice continued to break off and tumble down the mountain, they began to break up the ice we stood on into irregular "blocks." Each block began to rise or fall in a seemingly random fashion, creating crevices and mountains between us.

Thinking quickly, I ordered my Forretress to return and tried desperately to make my way over to Ash and Misty. The jagged ice and falling snow made any attempts of rescue nearly suicide but I pressed on. I scrambled up the side of one hill, only to discover that at least a dozen more stood between me and my friends. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse...

I heard a loud, deep moan...and the sound of ice cracking. I looked down at my feet where the sound seemed to be coming from.

Then, it hit me. A Wailord had noticed the ice breaking up, and had decided to come up for a breath of air. Just what we didn't need right now...

The ice below me flew up into the air, carrying me with it. I hurtled through the air, briefly wondering if I was experiencing what Team Rocket had endured for years.

I looked below me as I fell back towards the ground. The icy ground came closer and closer. As I landed, I blacked out instantly.

--

Brock: NOOO! I can't die! I have too much to live for!

Ambezua: Relax...you're the main narrator for the story. I can't just kill you off. Besides, you only blacked out.

Misty: Yeah so quit overreacting. Ash and I are the ones in REAL danger anyway!

Ambezua: (_checking the script_) Misty! Don't spoil it for them!

Misty: Whatever

Ash: Well, this chapter explains a lot...like why on earth Misty and I got those phone calls and Brock didn't!

Ambezua: Hey, cut it out you guys.

Ash: (_continuing as if he didn't hear me_) It also explains what my mom told me before she hung up.

Ambezua: SAVE IT, ASH! I am the one telling the story, not you!

Ash: (_grumbles_)

--

Summary: Brock, Ash, Misty, and the men that decided to stay with them made their way to a group of ice mountains. Just as things are starting to look hopeful, Team Rocket shows up. After saying their motto, the Piloswine return, thirsty for revenge. After the Piloswine take care of Team Rocket, they turn on Ash and his friends. Brock uses his Forretress to defeat the Piloswine, but this also unintentionally causes the ice to crack... Brock is knocked out when a Wailord decides to surface at the cracking sight, leaving Ash and Misty's fate in the balance...


	6. Chapter 5: Ice Cave

Chapter 5: Ice Cave...

(Ash's POV)

_"Huh?" I tried to look up but I felt so stiff and cold that I found myself unable to move. "What happened?"_

_I felt something soft and warm touch my cheek._

_"Please Ash; don't give up on me...don't give up on us." It was that voice again._

_"Misty? Is that you?" I murmured, barely able to move my mouth._

_"Ash..."_

--

My eyes snapped open, my face flat against the frozen ground. Painfully, I tried to lift myself up but my left leg refused to obey my commands. I turned my head back towards my feet. A rather large block of ice had landed on most of my lower body, the majority of its weight resting on my left leg. It felt numb, almost lifeless.

I groaned and began to push against the ground with my arms in a vain attempt to push the block off of my body. It kept a firm grip on my leg, very much like a stubborn Clamperl.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu hopped over to my side.

"Pikachu, buddy..." I said in a horse voice. "Could you help me out?"

Pikachu nodded. He hopped up and cleanly cut the block into smaller pieces with an Iron Tail attack.

"Thanks." I patted his head and began to push the smaller pieces off of myself. I looked down at my leg. It seemed to be holding up fine even though  
it was quite stiff. I began to rub it a bit,

I forced myself to stand and began to look around. Misty's body was nowhere to be seen.

"Pika-chu...Pikachu-Pi... " Pikachu sighed.

"Don't worry, Pikachu." I began to limp along in no particular direction. "We will find Misty."

"Pika?" Pikachu looked up at me.

"I will find Brock too." I added.

For some reason though, I couldn't stop worrying about Misty. Brock could take care of himself. In fact, he would be probably safer without me around. Misty, on the other hand...what if she was hurt? What if she had fallen through the ice, into the freezing water below? I didn't want to think about what could have befallen my friend.

"MISTY...!" I yelled out into the frozen wasteland. "BROCK...!"

"Pika-chu...!" Pikachu ran out in front of me. "Pikachu-Pi!"

I sighed and sat down on the icy ground.

"What's the use of calling for them?" I muttered. "They can't hear us. Our  
voices become lost in the wind."

"Pika...?" Pikachu laid a reassuring paw on my shoulder.

I felt something large and bulky in my pocket.

"OH!" I shouted excitedly. "Of course...! The radio...!"

I quickly pulled it out and switched it to Misty's frequency. To my dismay the batteries were almost dead.

"I hope this works." I said nervously and switched the radio on.

For about half a minute, the radio only picked up static...unable to find Misty.

Then,

BEEP

"YES!" I smiled and called out into the receiver, "Misty! If you can hear me, please respond..."

No response...

"MISTY!" I yelled. "SAY SOMETHING!"

"Pikapi...!" Pikachu pulled my shoulder, pointing in one direction.

"What is it, buddy?" I asked him, unsure of what he meant.

"Pikachu-pi...!" Pikachu replied.

"Where...?" I asked, frantically.

Pikachu pointed again.

"How do you know she is over there?" I questioned him.

"Chu...pika..." Pikachu pointed to his ears.

"Oh...so you heard her radio, did you?" I smiled

"Pika...!" Pikachu nodded then hopped off in the direction he had pointed.

I groaned and pulled myself back onto my feet. I limped over to where Pikachu had stopped and was digging.

DIGGING?!

I quickly fell to my knees and helped Pikachu, pushing away the snow and ice.  
After a few minutes, I gradually began to see a form in the ice. It was curled up and lying on its side. It hardly moved, only barely shivering.

"Misty...!" I pulled her body out of the pile of snow and ice. "Please speak to me."

I wiped the snow out of her face which appeared still and expressionless.

"Hurry, Pikachu...!" I called to my friend, "You have to find somewhere  
warmer...somewhere I can tend to Misty."

Pikachu nodded and ran out into the sea of white. The brave Pokemon was risking his life to save my friend.

I looked back down at Misty's still form. She was only slightly warm and her breathing was shallow. I knew that if we didn't do something fast she would freeze to death.

"Pikapi...!" Pikachu ran back, pointing towards one of the ice mountains.

"Okay, buddy..." I sighed. "Help me move Misty, will you?"

I managed to lift up most of her weight by lifting her up by her shoulders. Pikachu lifted her feet up off the ground so that they wouldn't drag. Slowly, I managed to bring her with us over to the ice mountain where Pikachu pointed out a small ice cave.

"In there?" I asked perhaps a stupid question.

Pikachu nodded and in we went.

It seemed pretty odd how there was a tunnel in the middle of an ice mountain. It was certainly not natural since the walls showed obvious signs of scraping and rubbing. I could only wonder what had caused those scratches.

For now, however, I had enough on my mind.

I laid Misty down on the icy floor then pulled out Cyndaquil's Pokeball.

"Cyndaquil, try to warm up Misty." I ordered. "I will try to put up the small shelter Brock told me to bring. I just hope I figure out how it works."

Cyndaquil nodded and fired up his fire quills. He walked over next to Misty, but not so close as to burn her.

I pulled out the shelter supplies and looked over them stupidly. I picked up the manual and began to flip through the pages.

"Great..." I mumbled. "This is going to take a while"

(Brock's POV)

_I opened my eyes, and saw two figures lying down before me.  
One had dark hair and wore a Pokemon League cap. The other had red hair._

_They were huddled close together._

_Neither of them appeared to be moving._

_Wait...!_

_"Ash...?" I took a few steps towards their still bodies. "Misty?"_

_I leaned over and shook them gently. "Guys, wake up!"_

_No response._

_"Guys...!" I yelled just as something on the floor caught my eye. It appeared  
to be a small book._

--

My eyes snapped open, this time for real. I pulled myself up into a sitting position, my back aching.

"Gah...My back..." I groaned, taking a look around. "What happened?"

"Ash...?" I looked to the right.

"Misty?" I looked to the left.

"Where are you guys?" I stood up, pain still flaring up my back.

"Brock...Brock, can you hear me?" I heard my radio sputter.

I quickly reached into my pocket and drew it out, switching it to two-way speaking.

"Yes, I hear you Professor." I spoke into the receiver. "How are you?"

"Brock, I'm doing fine but this is very important." Even though the radio's weak signal slightly distorted Professor Oak's voice, I could still hear the sternness in his tone.

"Yes?"

"Brock, there is a blizzard coming most likely due to the increased activity we have stirred up. You need to bring Ash and Misty back to camp before things get any worse."

"Uh... about that..." I stuttered, unsure of what to say.

"What is it, Brock?"

"We have been... separated..." I said.

"You need to find them...and quickly too!" Professor Oak replied. "If you don't bring them back by nightfall, the blizzard will set in and the temperature will drop far below zero. I doubt that they will be able to survive those conditions."

"Subzero..." I repeated. "Got it. I will find them Professor, even if it kills me."  
Without waiting for a response, I switch off the radio and began searching around for my friends.

I look towards the icy mountains off to my left.

"If Ash is smart, which I'm very doubtful..." I muttered to myself. "He would find Misty and take her to the safety of those mountains. Even though they do pose a risk, they can at least provide some protection from the wind."  
With that in mind, I began to jog towards the nearest icy mountain, ignoring the pain that ran up and down my back.

"Please be safe, Ash..." I panted. "Please be alright, Misty..."

I shook my head, thinking about how horrible life would be without them.

"I will never forgive myself if you die because of my mistake."  
I looked up at the sky, which had already begun to darken. Gray clouds began to form as the wind began to pick up. The air became colder and the wind got fiercer and worse. I wrapped my scarf more tightly around my neck and pressed on.

Snowflakes began to appear, swept along by the wind and melting into my parka.

"Please hang in there, guys." I mumbled, "I'm coming..."  
The icy mountain loomed before me; its dark shape casting a shadow across my face. I looked around for any sign of Ash or Misty. But I couldn't find anything.

"Where are you, guys?" I sighed.

(Misty's POV)

My eyes creaked open. I saw a dark figure leaning over me...getting closer and closer to my face.

"Ash...?" I murmured

The figure jumped back as if it had seen a ghost.

"H-Hey..." It stuttered. "I'm glad you're awake, Misty. I was beginning to  
worry about you."

I pushed my head up off the ground with my elbows. After managing to sit up, I rubbed my eyes and looked over at...Ash.

"Ash...?" I blinked. "What happened?"

"Long story short...that explosion buried you with snow and ice then Pikachu and I saved you." Ash grinned.

I raised one of my eyebrows, "That's it? You just saved me? Isn't there more to the story than just that?"

"Well, that's a long story," Ash replied, getting slightly annoyed.

"I'm not going anywhere," I crossed my arms.

"I will tell you all about it later, ok?" Ash didn't seem in the mood for an argument. Which was odd, since he ALWAYS seemed to be in the mood for an argument

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. "It looks like we are in an-"

"Ice cave..." Ash smiled. "Yep, Pikachu found it."

"Hmm..." I rubbed my chin. "What were you doing when I was asleep?"

"Uh..." Ash became nervous. "Nothing!"

"Oh really...?" I tried to stand up but my legs were a bit too stiff. "I'm not buying it, Ash."

Ash looked around uncomfortably but didn't answer my question.

"Ash..." my eyes narrowed.

"Okay, okay...!" Ash threw up his hands. "I was going to try PCR on you!"

"WHAT?" I yelled.

"You wouldn't wake up! Even after Cyndaquil had thawed you, you still wouldn't wake up. I tried all sorts of things: tickling you, poking you, rubbing your face and hands...nothing worked!"

"It's CPR not PCR, you dolt!" I yelled, making another attempt to stand up.

"Besides, you don't give CPR to someone suffering from extreme cold exposure!"

"How am I supposed to know that?" Ash quipped, crossing his arms. "You should just be thankful that you're still alive!"

"Humph..." I closed my eyes and turned my face away. "I think you just wanted to take advantage of me."

"WHAT?" Ash's eyes bulged. "Whatever gave you that idea? I'm not like that!"

"I wouldn't put it past you." I gave him a weak smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash gave me a puzzled look.

"Pikapi..." Pikachu pulled on Ash's pant leg.

"Not now, Pikachu." Ash looked down at his friend briefly. "Can't you see I'm arguing with Misty right now?"

"PIKA...!" Pikachu jumped up onto Ash's shoulder and pulled his ear.

"OW!" Ash glared at Pikachu, "What was that for?!"

Pikachu pointed over to the far side of the cave.

There stood before us a small heard of Mamoswine, with irritated looks on their faces. The biggest of the group, presumably the leader, walked up to Ash and bellowed.

"Pika pika, pikachu pi pi chu!" Pikachu said to Ash.

"Huh?" Ash looked over at the Mamoswine stupidly.

"Pika pika, pikachu pi pi chu!" Pikachu repeated.

Ash turned pale.

"What did he say?" I asked, pulling my legs underneath me.

"He said...that the Mamoswine wants to challenge me." Ash didn't turn to look at me.

"To what...?" I asked; a bit concerned.

"A...challenge of endurance..."

"What for...?" I snapped

"Because we are trespassing on their territory, that's what for!" Ash yelled back.

The Mamoswine took a few steps closer and Ash walked up to it.

"Um...Misty..." Ash gulped. "If anything happens to me..."

"ASH...!" A cold chill ran down my spine as the Mamoswine opened its mouth and attacked Ash with an Ice Beam.

Ash was thrown backwards and slammed his back against the side of the ice cave. I crawled over to him.

"Hey...Ash...can you hear me?" I call out to him.

Ash slowly opened his eyes.

"Ash...?" I called out again, taking hold of his shoulders.

"Huh?" his voice was weak and shaky

"Ash, please don't leave me. This isn't how it's supposed to be." I pleaded as desperation and panic was beginning to set in.

My eyes began to water and I let a single tear fall from my cheek and splatter on his face.

Ash's eyes began to close...

"ASH...!" I screamed, and began to shake him.

"Pikachu...pi!" Pikachu hopped over to Ash's side.

"No!" I cried out. "Please no..."

The Mamoswine leader nodded and walked back to its herd. The rest of the Mamoswine herd followed it back into the darkness of the inner corridors of the ice cave.

"Huh?" Ash mumbled. "What happened?"

I reached out and stroked his cheek with my right hand.

"Please, Ash...don't give up on me...don't give up on us." I said softly.

"Misty? Is that you?" He murmured as his eyes closed once again.

"Ash..." I laid my right hand on his chest, unsure of what to do.

--

Ambezua: I know. I switched POV quite a few times in this chapter. But I thought it would be necessary to show all the different things that are going on at the same time.

Ash: Fine with me!

Misty: That was a LONG chapter.

Brock: Tell me about it. I'm going to have to start demanding benefits!

Misty: You? Make demands?

Ash: Ha, Misty's right. If anyone is going to make any demands, it's the star of this story.

Misty: And who would that be?

Pikachu: Pika...pikachu!

Ash: Not you, Pikachu... ME!

Misty: (rolling her eyes) Right... How would you like to SEE stars?

Ash: I might, it depends on--(Ash's eyes grow larger)--wait a sec...

Misty: (clubs Ash with her mallet) Too slow, Pokemon Master...

Ash: (groan)

Ambezua: Anyway, I hope you all won't flame me too bad for my change of pace. Please R&R! Oh...and Misty...I need Ash for the next scene, so don't beat him up too badly.

Misty: Sure, I will finish him later.

Ash: Looking forward to it...

Brock: (shaking his head) You two...

Summary: Ash manages to crawl out of the snow alive. He radio's Misty's radio. Ash and Pikachu take her to an ice cave, where Ash begins to set up a camp for them.

Meanwhile, Brock hears from Professor Oak. He warns Brock that they must get back soon, as a blizzard is beginning to form. Brock tells him about Ash and Misty. Professor Oak replies sadly that they must be found in less than two days, if there is any hope of saving them.

Misty wakes up, and immediately jumps to conclusions. Ash and her argue for a bit, then find themselves surrounded by a heard of Mamoswine... One of their leaders challenges Ash. Ash manages to survive an Ice Beam attack from the head Mamoswine, earning their respect. Misty tends to Ash, desperately pleading for him to be okay...


	7. Chapter 6: Awaiting Deah

Ambezua: I know I know! *groan* I really need to be better at updating all my stories... Well, cheers, and enjoy the next few chapters I will be uploading!

Chapter 6: Awaiting Death

(Misty's POV)

---

"Misty?" I felt someone shaking me.

"Huh?" I looked up right at Ash's face. He seemed to be fighting back laughter.

"You fell asleep." Ash grinned.

Just then, I realized that I had dozed off while using Ash's chest as a pillow. Great, Ash had caught me napping. He's going to start teasing me about it for the rest of my brief and humiliating life.

"I was tired and I needed something to keep me warm, okay?" I replied defensively. "Got a problem with that?"

"No." Ash replied.

I started to push myself off of Ash but he held me firmly around the waist.

I looked up at him, shocked. Did he want me? No…he just needed a source of heat, that's all. Ash couldn't love anyone or anything but Pokemon.

"Uh..." Ash looked into my eyes. "You know, when you're not yelling at me or hitting me with your mallet, you aren't so bad."

WHAT? My heart began to race. Ash, Ash Ketchum, had actually given me a COMPLIMENT? I had thought that such an event would create a rift in the space-time continuum... apparently not, however.

I looked into his eyes, unsure if this was the proper time to confess my feelings. Here in an ice cave? Well, it was now or never...

"Well..." I paused, unsure what to say. "When you're not being a complete dolt, you're not so bad yourself."

"You really think so?" Ash blinked. "I mean you don't hate me?"

Ash thought I hated him? Well...perhaps it seemed like it at times but I was really quite fond of him. His irritating antics and dense nature were, ironically, quite cute. I wouldn't have him any other way. Well, not exactly an accurate statement since I would prefer that he'd be significantly less dense...

"Of course not…!" I punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Do you think I would have followed you around all those years just to make you pay me back for a bike? Seriously, Ash...no bike is worth that!"

Ash gave me a puzzled look, unsure whether to be annoyed or offended. "Hey, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean, Ash, that I didn't just follow you because I had to. I followed you because I wanted to." I explained, my eyes filled with hope and desire.

Come on; how obvious did I need to make it? Could even Ash Ketchum be THAT dense?

"You mean..." Ash began. "You followed me around because you actually ENJOYED-"

"Yes?" I prodded him, my heart beating faster.

"...yelling and hitting me all the time?" Ash finished with a sad look on his face.

Apparently, he WAS that dense.

"No!" I yelled at him, my patience wearing thin. "That's not it either!"

Honestly, though...it WAS a bit fun. But that wasn't the point I was trying to get across.

"Then..." Ash mumbled sheepishly. "What is it?"

"ASH…!" I took hold of his collar and brought my face up next to his. "I fell in love with you from the start!"

Ash's eyes widened but said nothing. He didn't love me. He didn't want me. I couldn't blame him, either. I had abused him, yelled at him, and pounded him. I had ridiculed him and mocked him. How COULD he love me?

I quickly pushed myself away from him, breaking out of his grasp. I pulled myself a few feet away from him and let my gaze fall down towards the floor, afraid of his response. I felt regretful that I had decided to come along with Ash. I wished I had never met the young man who had stolen my heart and turned my life upside down. I wished I had never been born...

"Really…?" Ash's voice was low and calm.

"Yes." I replied, closing my eyes tightly. "Go right ahead, Ash--laugh. I know you want to. After all I have put you through I don't deserve to be loved."

Ash didn't say a word.

I began to softly sob, my pain and shame almost too much for me to bear. Why didn't he laugh at me? His lack of words was almost as bad as anything else he could dish out. I imagined that he simply stood there, fully enjoying my moment of weakness.

"Misty, for a while now, I have felt things whenever I'm around you...or even just when I think about you." Ash finally spoke.

I felt a glimmer of hope return and I peered over at him. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I waited for him to continue.

"Oh PLEASE don't hate me..." I thought.

"Um..." Ash paused. "You're important to me, Misty, and I don't want you to be sad."

A typical Ash response...

Wait a sec...WHAT DID HE SAY?! Could it be possible that Ash Ketchum isn't a complete idiot?

"That was one of the cheesiest lines I have ever heard." I mumbled, hiding my smile. He DID care about me! I felt my heart skip a beat. Unable to suppress my joy, I let a slight giggle escape.

Ash, of course, didn't notice.

"I think I love you too, Misty." Ash smiled.

"Ash..." I looked up at him and let myself become lost in his dark eyes. "You dolt!"

A thousand different voices shouted out in my mind. Some demanded that I hit him; others called out for me to show him my love. Others...well, I would rather not go into that...

Without warning, I reached forward pushing Ash over onto his back and laid myself down on top of him. Without waiting for him to protest, I took his head in my hands, lifted my lips up to his, and kissed him. His lips were dry and a bit cracked most likely due to the arctic air. I didn't care though. I was in heaven with my one true love.

As our lips parted, Ash blushed and looked around the cave nervously.

"Um…does this mean you forgive me...for this morning?" He asked sheepishly.

I glared at Ash, fighting a strong desire to pound him with my mallet in retaliation. Why did he have to go and do that? He completely ruined the mood!

Ash did not seem to notice my anger. "I wonder what Brock and Pikachu will say..."

That's something I hadn't thought about before. I quickly thought of a way to lighten the mood.

I closed my eyes and deepened my voice, trying my best to imitate Brock. "I told you so!"

"Yeah…" Ash laughed.

"Speaking of Pikachu, where is he?" I looked around, not seeing the yellow Pokemon anywhere.

"Pika…Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped over to us, pointing towards the cave's entrance.

"Did you see something, buddy?" Ash turned his head towards Pikachu.

"Pika…!" Pikachu nodded.

I looked back down at Ash, blushing a bit when I realized the position I was in.

"Hey, Misty..." Ash grinned evilly.

I decided to get off him before he got any funny ideas.

"Let's go figure out what Pikachu wants us to see." I suggested.

---

Outside, the wind had gotten significantly colder and the sky had become much darker. The Sun was setting on the arctic world and with it the temperature was dropping quite rapidly. The frigid winds carried bits of snow with them, forewarning us of an imminent danger.

"We better head back in." Ash turned back. "It looks like we have to spend the night here."

"Wait…!" I grabbed Ash's shoulder as I saw a faint figure in the distance. "I see something..."

"Huh?" Ash turned around to take a look.

"It's..." I began as the unmistakable form of Articuno flew into view. Its signature cry could be faintly heard over the whistling wind. It hovered for a moment, apparently not noticing the three of us standing in the cave entrance.

"Whoa..." Ash stood paralyzed. "You don't think that means..."

Brock's brief discussion about Articuno's stories came to my mind.

"ASH…!" I cried, burying my face in his chest. "I don't want to die! I want to stay...with you..."

Ash wrapped his arms around me, whispering words of comfort into my ear.

"Don't worry, Misty. You're my best friend in the world. I won't leave you for anything."

I didn't reply. I simply let myself melt in his arms, finally enjoying the embrace I had longed for.

Ash led me back into the cave, back to our place of safety...even if it was but a temporary retreat from our eventual fate.

---

Misty (with stars in her eyes): That was heavenly...

Ash: Misty...?

Misty: (Sigh)

Brock: Uh...give her a sec, I think she fazed out.

Ash: Misty?!

Misty: (Blinks) Huh?

Ash: You're such a romantic...

Misty: Have a problem with that, Ash?

Brock: Be careful how you answer that...

Jonz: Hey, guys! What's up?

Ambezua: Welcome to the backstage room, Jonz...where we get to discuss the last few scenes. Come on guys, say hello.

Ash: Hey!

Brock: Take a seat.

Misty: What's he got to do with this story?

Ambezua: He's the beta reader: he looks over the script and makes some minor changes before I submit it.

Ash/Misty/Brock: Oh...

Ambezua: You might say he's my assistant director.

Ash: Nice...hey, I got an idea!

Brock: I have a bad feeling about this...

Ash: How about we spring for a mate-out scene? No, wait...perhaps we could go for a bit of a lime...

Jonz: Eh...

Misty: (grips her mallet)

Brock: Ash...

Ash: What? (Gets pounded by Misty)

Jonz: Ok, guys...next scene.

Ambezua: Places, everyone!

Ash: If Misty keeps this up, I think I'm going to need a transplant...

---

Summary: More Ash-and-Misty action! They finally profess their love for each other... but will their love survive Sub Zero? Will Brock come to their rescue?


	8. Chapter 7: Rethinking the Past

Chapter 7: Rethinking the Past

(Brock's POV)

An icy burst slammed against my face and bit into my skin. I cringed in pain, clenching my fists a bit more tightly by my sides.

"Ash, Misty, Pikachu!" I yelled out into the swirling, darkening sky, "Wherever you are, I will find you."

My legs were beginning to grow stiff from the cold and from overuse but I forced myself to go on. I can't give up. My friends mean so much to me...I will find them or die trying!

With a new sense of determination I pressed on, gritting my teeth and pulling my parka a bit more tightly around my face. Memories...memories of happy times, past times, and good times began to flow into my head...

---

_  
"You and I will be married someday too." Misty said casually._

_"Uh huh..." Ash nodded, not really listening._

_Wait for it, wait for it..._

_"WAA…!" Ash's eyes bulged and he jumped back from Misty in surprise, who simply glanced over at him in return._

_One bottle of ketchup for a hungery pikachu... 15 pokedollars...  
Lunch, a map of the surrounding regions, and a short stop at the pokemon center... 50 pokedollars...  
Two pokeballs for catching pokemon... 200 pokedollars...  
Getting placed in an embarrassing situation by your best friend, and not noticing it until AFTER you unknowingly confess your true feelings...  
Priceless...  
There are some things money can't buy... but for everything else, there's Ash's Pokemon Mastercard!  
_

---

Heh...yeah, that was one of those rare occasions when a woman actually liked me. Too bad I wasn't interested!

I smiled slightly considering the irony of the whole situation. Ash STILL couldn't get it through his thick skull what Misty was trying to say to him.

---

_Although I still don't know exactly what happened that day..._

_"Oh, Ash, can't you hear me?!" Misty pleaded. "Open your eyes, please Ash!"_

_His eyes slowly opened as if by some unseen force pulled Ash back to life._

_"Hey, Misty…"_

_"Wa…? Ash, you're alive!" Misty smiled._

_"Pikachu…"_

_"Hey, sorry to worry you guys." Ash sat up._

_"No sweat." I replied. "Glad to have you back."_

_Misty wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at Ash. I knew that Misty had fallen in love at least.  
_

---

The girl is practically tearing herself apart over him and the best Ash can come up with is "Hey, Misty?" Come on, man...Even I have better pick-up lines than that!

---

_"I must be the beautiful girl she's talking about." Misty placed her hands onto her cheeks. "But I would never hurt Brock."_

_Sure, Misty..._

_"I was talking about an elegant young woman, not some scrawny little blabbermouth like you!" The old woman spat._

_"Scrawny…?" Misty recoiled at the woman's comment._

_"Yeah, real scrawny…!" Ash put in his two bits._

_WHAMP_

_Ash was on the floor the second later._

_"That's it!" Misty fumed. "I don't have to stand around here and be insulted!"_

---

I honestly think either Ash secretly enjoys either Misty's attention or pain...one or the other. Seriously, the kid doesn't understand the idea of boundaries. He doesn't just cross lines, he smashes right through them! He knows just what annoys Misty the most and does that...repetitively.

---

_"Misty?" Ash and I walked up to the ring._

_"WAA…?" Misty looked up at Ash._

_"Hey, are you part of the show Misty?" Ash looked up at her._

_"What are you two doing here?!" Misty blushed furiously._

_I simply munched my popcorn, savouring the moment._

_"That's a real cute outfit, Misty..." Ash beamed._

_That one was hard to top...  
_

---

I grinned, remembering Misty's shocked expression as I stumbled to climb over another snowdrift. If her face had gotten any redder, it would have resembled a tomato in more ways than one. I would have given anything to see her and Ash's faces again.

---

_Misty flicked Ash on the nose._

_"Ow..." Ash grasped his face with his hand._

_"Why don't you try to prove how tough you are at the Vermillion gym?" Misty challenged him._

_"From the looks of things here, you HAVE to be tough enough to battle with this Lieutenant Surge..." I added._

_"You think he's that tough?" Ash asked, looking up at me._

_"We GAVE you badges, you know." Misty placed her hands onto her hips, "How do you think we will look if you get crushed by Surge?"_

_"You have nothing to worry about." Ash replied, greatly irritated at Misty's comment. "Except maybe seeing my own incredible strength…!"_

_Ash lunged forward with a punch aimed at Misty's face but Nurse Joy. She, in all of her beautiful radiance, held Ash's fist back._

_"Alright, that's enough!" Nurse Joy declared._

_"She started it." Ash replied childishly._

_"Remember, this IS a hospital." Nurse Joy reminded us._

_A huge teardrop appeared on Ash's head_

_"They say if two people fight, they REALLY care about each other." Nurse Joy smiled._

_"ME…? Care about HIM/HER?" both Ash and Misty shouted at the same time.  
"Humph..."  
_

After all those denials, they BETTER get together. That's all I could think about. They were both such stubborn people, however, so I didn't know which of them would crack first.

---

_  
"Hey!" Misty called out._

_"Huh?" Ash and I turn to face Misty...who happens to be wearing a stunning red bikini. Not that I had any sort of ideas or anything!_

_"I thought you two were going to wait for me over by the snack bar." Misty held her hand up to block the sun's glare. "How's the water?"_

_"Uh..." we both stare at her stupidly._

_"What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?" Misty asked as we walked up to her._

_"It's just weird to see you looking like a girl." Ash replied._

_The rest is Pokemon history.  
_

---

At least that event proved that Ash could see the girl inside of Misty...even if that girl is somewhat boyish as well. For a moment I considered the paradox: Ash was oblivious to any girl activity yet Misty wasn't much like a girl. I couldn't remember the last time she fussed about her hair or anything like that. Perfume was one of her few concessions to modern femininity.

_"I never said that the inside doesn't matter but the outside counts too!" Misty shouted at Ash._

_"The inside is what matters!" Ash shouted back._

_"Outside too…!"_

_"Inside!"_

_"Outside too…!"_

_"The inside matters the most!"_

_"The outside matters too!"_

_"Inside…!"_

_"Outside too…!"_

_Stopping those two when they started was like trying to stop the tide._

---

I looked up from my feet. "I just HAVE to find you guys!"

There, right before me, loomed the entrance to an ice cave carved out of the side of the ice mountain. The wind curled around my face as I stepped closer for a better look.

"Misty? Ash…?" I whispered as I entered the dark cave and flipped on my flashlight. I jumped back in surprise at the sight before me.

---

Ambezua: MUAH HA HA! I know...I can be SO cruel!

Misty: You have GOT to be kidding me!

Brock: Aw, come on man...

Ash: Whatever...

Jonz: Not bad...but I was expecting more after that HUGE break you took.

Ambezua: Hey! I had school work to complete! I have a valid excuse.

Misty: What excuse do you have at leaving the story like that, huh?

Ambezua: Relax...that's not the end. This story has a definite end, not just a cliffhanger.

Misty: (crossing her arms) Good...

Ash: (looking over the script) What the--there are three more chapters to go?

Ambezua: That is correct...although I MAY put in an epilogue if there is enough popular demand.

Misty: I see

Ash: (tossing the script aside) As long as I get some good action, I don't really care!

Misty: (rolls her eyes) Men...

Summary: Brock continues to search for Misty and Ash, but the blizzard becomes too strong. Determined to save his friends and encouraged by his many pleasant adventures he has had with his friends, Brock manages to find an ice cave entrance and goes inside...only to find out that…


End file.
